Using Alcohol For Opiate Withdrawal Is Not Recommended

Many opiate abusers have asked me the question “does alcohol help with opiate withdrawal?” My answer is always the same…using alcohol for opiate withdrawal symptoms is not a great idea. Though alcohol can have quick anti-anxiety effects, it really does much more harm than good during withdrawal. I made the mistake of getting drunk on two separate occasions; once coming off Suboxone, and once coming off heroin.

I ended up regretting it both times…so learn from my mistakes!

In this article, I’m going to explain why using alcohol for opiate withdrawal is a bad strategy. I’m also going to teach you about some herbs and prescription medications that have the same anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia properties of alcohol but without the horrible side-effects.

Using Alcohol for Opiate Withdrawal

At first, using alcohol for opiate withdrawal might seem like a good idea. I mean after all…it does alleviate some of the most unpleasant symptoms…right?

Let’s take a look at the symptoms alcohol can treat:

Anxiety

Insomnia

Sore and aching muscles/limbs

Note:Alcohol is a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant. When alcohol is consumed, it gets absorbed into the bloodstream extremely fast, thus reducing anxiety and insomnia quite well. Alcohol is also a strong painkiller. Alcohol consumption can, therefore, ease pain and relax muscles during opiate withdrawal.

OK, so far alcohol looks like a great remedy for alleviating anxiety, insomnia, and pain…right? WRONG!

While it may be tempting to use alcohol for opiate withdrawal symptoms, I assure you it does much more harm than good.

The following reasons will explain why:

Alcohol is extremely dehydrating. This is counterproductive during withdrawal. Alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks are the worst beverages to choose from. Instead, you want to drink plenty of water and Gatorade to stay hydrated.

Alcohol is very hard to the digestive system. It makes the opiate withdrawal nausea and gastrointestinal (GI) distress much worse.

Alcohol disrupts the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. This can lead to many negative physical and psychological consequences.

Drinking alcohol can lead to a hangover. So while you have a few hours of relief from alcohol, the next day your opiate withdrawal will feel much, much worse.

Note:Acute opiate withdrawal typically lasts around 4-7 days. This is why using alcohol for opiate withdrawal is not a good idea. What are you going to do, stay drunk the whole time? It’s just not a good strategy…not when there are much better alternatives.

Alcohol for Opiate Withdrawal Alternatives

There are many alternatives (both natural and medication-based) to using alcohol for opiate withdrawal. They work in similar ways to alcohol, only they don’t cause such intense destruction to the body.

Let’s first take a look at how alcohol works…

Alcohol mimics an important neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It does this by binding to GABA receptor sites in the brain. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it acts as a mental relaxant. Therefore, drinking alcohol can result in a deep relaxation of the nervous system…but at a major cost to the body. Luckily, there are medication-based and natural alternatives that work better than alcohol for opiate withdrawal…without the damaging effects.

Some popular medications that bind to GABA receptors and promote relaxation are:

Note:These all belong to a class of anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drugs known as benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as benzos. Benzos are often prescribed by doctors to treat opiate withdrawal symptoms. They provide much better anxiety and insomnia relief than alcohol, without the dehydration and other toxic effects of alcohol.

Some popular herbs that bind to GABA receptors and promote relaxation are:

Note:Passion flower was shown in a study to help ease opiate withdrawal symptoms. Valerian root was shown in a study to work just as good as oxazepam (a benzo) for insomnia, but with fewer side effects.

*There is a very strong Opiate Withdrawal Supplement that I often recommend to people who are going through opiate withdrawal. It contains concentrated amounts of passion flower, valerian root, and many other nutrients which have all been shown to relax the nervous system and make it easier to fall and stay asleep.

If you can afford it, I also highly recommend taking this awesome supplement, because the benefits are just too good to pass up.

Alcohol for Opiate Withdrawal Conclusion

Now you know the risks of using alcohol for opiate withdrawal, as well as some good medication-based and natural alternatives. I wish you the best of luck in your quest for a mild opiate withdrawal. Click here now to view my best home detox program.

If you have any questions on using alcohol for opiate withdrawal alternatives, please post them in the comment box below.

Matt Finch

Matt helps men and women that are dependent on opiates learn how to get off these drugs without getting sick. He is a former opiate addict and a former Substance Abuse Counselor at an Opiate Treatment Program (OTP). Matt has since become an Opiate Recovery Coach, Author, and Speaker.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Ive recently stopped 20cc methadone cold turkey. At the beggining i was on valium ativan atarax thiamin. Because i abused those pills for the first few days ive ran out and cant get more for atleadt another week. Although the first few days was pretty bad i think because of the pills i wasnt suffering insomnia cramps and no strength. However since my supply of valium etc finnished my withdrawels have become much worse. Im almost.constantly drinking alchohol because i have no strenth and cant sleep plus after 12 days since i last took methadone i cant understand why the withdrawels are getting worse rather then better. First of all thank u because now i realize the alchohol is actually making thinhs worse plus not having my pills is also probably why im feeling worse. But im 12 days in and i really dont want fail. I need to get of the methadone. How much longer do you think i can expect to continue with the withdrawels and any advice is highly appreciated. Also please reply here if possible because my email is not working. Thanks

Oh gosh, you poor thing! I know how that feels so I honor you for having the courage to get through this and not get back on medication. And ya, the alcohol is a horrible way to do it. I’m actually going to post two article links here that will really help you out. Read these and you’ll be in a much better situation I promise!!! Hang in there.

Hello I have also recently ripped myself from 110mg of methadone I am in week 4 and in my experience it did get worse before it got better mainly bc of the insomnia and the psychological part of it which was excruciating, but…. It DOES GET BETTER and I know telling someone who is in withdrawal that it will get better in a week or so is like telling them a year bc each day is so hard but if your truly ready to quit and are tired of it like I was, and only you can determine that then you will succeed, I wish u the best and I don’t know if you believe in a higher power but I do and will pray for you. Good luck don’t let get go.

I used to be an alcoholic, I was able to get off of alcohol once before when I was a full blown addict, I would rather become a raging addict while I cold turkey from these opiates that for the life of me I cannot break away from due to the withdrawal. They are physical and mentally hellish. All of those things I am already on and it’s not working I just am taking those while still using. I would compare the feeling I get on opiates to that of taking a shot of vodka and I know that’s super bad on your body but so is withdrawal. So I have to pick between both devils because I cannot get off these alone. Lesson learned a thousand times never to use opiates for pain again I’ll take the pain any day to a day in withdrawal. Anyone in the early stages of becoming addicted to any opiate, abandon all hope ye who enter the world of opiates. That’s all I can say about that. I was using 30 mg oxycodone every day 27-30 pills per day. No that was not a spelling error. 27-30 per day. Over the course of almost a year I am down to 9 a day. The lowest I can get to is 6 before I run back, I’m simply stuck. If I could just drink my way through a week of the worst part that would probably land me in the hospital won’t it….. Ok well am I allowed to say herb as in the kind snoop lion likes helped me wean down tremendously.

I’m in what I have to assume is the PAWS stage. I’ve been completely off Suboxone for 30 days and have tried/continue to implement most of the suggestions to get my energy back. I have absolutely zero cravings for any opiate or anything else except some energy which leads to an apathetic mood. I found out that drinking several shots of liquor gives me an energy boost which I’m guessing is because the alcohol somehow acts as an agonist or releases something to trip my opioid receptors giving me an energy boost. A friend of mine who is a recovering heroin addict told me the real reason most of his friends have relapsed wasn’t to get high but just to get some energy back. How long does this generally last and is once or twice a week alcohol consumption slowing down the process? I’m already aware of the other negatives involved in alcohol consumption.

Nath, you just need more time. Subboxone has a long half life, so 30 days really isn’t that long. Give it time and your body will adjust. We spent a lot off timing messing up our body, we can’t expect to fix itself right away. Congrats on the 30 days, that’s a huge accomplishment!

Thanks! I can’t wait to get some energy. I was obviously too optimistic about the recovery time. That being said, I feel extremely fortunate to not have any opioid cravings. For anyone considering Suboxone as the way out of the game, I will only say that front office personnel at the doctor’s office I went to told me I was the first person in over three years of being open that ever actually completely tapered off. If I hadn’t forced the issue, I could have taken Suboxone for the rest of my life and it would have been fine with them ($$$$). It’s just legal and you can go to work but it will grab you just like other opiates if you try to stop.

Warning!!!! (Scientific and user facts including personal experience) DO NOT take suboxone or methadone ever! unless you are an extremely hardcore addict and your life is in danger with strong mental addiction and cannot stay clean even after kicking, it’s only meant for harm reduction and basically is a replacemet to save your life. Fact: it’s 100x harder borderline impossible to get off suboxone/ methadone than oxy or herion! Fact: suuboxone is so strong in binding to your opiate receptors it has the most physical dependence than herion, it’s strong enough to block most any other opiate besides perhaps fentanyl. Strongest and highest affinity opiate receptor binding stops your ability to produce endorphins over time while still having the most powerful effect on your body and brain. I am a prisoner of this drug and wish I have had the courage to ride out cold turkey and have it be over with in a month instead of up to 6 months but in rehab the nurses kept pushing the drug on me because it’s easier on them. I fell for the misinformation during distress. Hooked ever since physically, 10 years now. Fact: no one has to be on more than 4- 6 mg at the most, 2 mg for THE SHORTEST PERIOD OF TIME is the best way to go if you can’t endure opiate withdrawal, IT HAS A CELING EFFECT so clueless doctors may try to start you on 32mg ( highest dose) which will just have a longer tapering process which is like going through moderate barely tolerable WD symptoms for a longer time . Less is more, it’s reakly that strong. I implore anyone with a addiction to normal pain killers to avoid suboxone like the plague, unless you only take a small dose for no more than a few weeks then get medically assisted withdrawal meds or a “ kick kit” from a doctor. Benzos (for a short time) for mind and muscle problems Clonadine for heart, Zofran for nausea, Cymbalta or lyrica work best for me bacause they aren’t as addictive as benzos and have antidepressant, muscle relaxant, nerve pain and anxiety properties almost as effective as benzos all in one. Some barbiturates only for extreme cases help but are more addictive than benzos so be careful! Weening off your opiate of choice while taking these medications will make withdrawal go 75% smoother. physical/mental symptoms will be tolerable and best of all you it only lasts about a month and your body will return to normal. suboxone withdrawal Takes about a week just to get to peak WD and months of slow agony to stop, if you can that is. Suboxone literally makes opiate receptors in your brain expand it’s so strong, if you need surgery or whatever and you lucky enough to be are off sub you still will always need a much higher dose of any opiate to to have an effect, it makes your Torrance skyrocket, and stops your brain from being able to produce natural endorphins more. You will have worse anxiety and depression for the rest of your life of you stay on it for too long like me. I had a mild addiction to opiates after surgery for only a few months and I would do anything to go back in time and go cold turkey instead of being admitted to rehab ( which is an institution for profit and want to keep you in treatment for the rest of your life with the 12 step BS. They are on bed with big Pharma. I was admitted because my panic attacks were made10x worse being in WD I was too afraid to be in monitored by a doctor, but the doctors in rehab treat all opiate users to suboxone regardless if you are mildly addicted after surgery or hardcore life herion addicts. Docs and nurses don’t care about you! They want a calm patient and opiate replacement treatment is ideal for them, same dose of suboxone given to me as a life long herion addict. They got me when I was weak and kept pushing suboxone on me until I cracked, now Ive been a slave to this drug for 8 years and I can’t stop no matter how many times I’ve tried. I’ve almost killed myself on numerous occasions because the WD is so strong and lasts so long it’s making my pre existing depression and anxiety unbareable. Please don’t let ignorant doctors manipulate you, kick whatever you are on with pharmaceutical helpers like benzos and stay away from suboxone unless you’re life depends on it. It’s better to rip the band-aid off quick than use the superglue that is suboxone, it will enslave you, drive you mad, give you a stigmatized life, cost more money and doctors bills than any other opiate, and destroy your body until it kills you in some wAy or another. I wish you all well Please learn from my mistake, I know what I’m talking about, I’m qualified as a pharmacologist. God bless the

I’ve been clean for 55 days and I still have withdrawal symptoms. Though they’re a fraction of what I initially felt, they are still present. I’m wondering in alcohol prolongs the withdrawal process or if it just intensifies it?

I made the mistake of getting off heroin by using alcohol.. getting drunk all day/night.. at work, etc… for about 3 weeks… then i told myself i was done with the alcohol and didnt have anymore (night time). Then i felt sicker than ive ever felt before. My brain switch over to alcohol for its drug of choice. I’m on my 2nd day of being clean.

I’ve been taking codeine for 3 years started with a back injury now I’m stuck on them. I am depressed because of these. I have no reason to be depressed or on these. Thinking cold turky as tapering didn’t wrk any advise please

Been on Methadone for 12 years. Tapered very slow and finally said im done. 63 hours in and I think the worst of it is over. Valerian root, red wine, Ibuprofen, vitamin water, and immodium have mostly done the trick…

I am currently in the process of tapering off suboxone, down to 1mg a day now. I’m doing this very, very slow. I plan to be completely off within 2 months. Anyway.. I drink a small glass of red wine every night, because it helps me relax and sleep. I’ve been doing this for about 2 months now with no noted issues. I have tried many other sleeping remedies, and they all seem to be ineffective, or, they make me groggy the next AM, even in small amounts. Wine seems to do the trick. Plus, I actually genuinely enjoy my red wine;) If anything, it makes me feel like a normal adult again, because I did not like the idea of drinking any alcohol on a higher dose of suboxone the last 2 years. I do not ever drink more than a small glass, and I do drink water in between.. Do you think that is okay? Or would you say that it’s 100% crucial that I avoid any alcohol period as I continue the taper? On another note… What are your thoughts on “Kratom”? I keep hearing great things about Kratom for opiate detox, I’m wondering if it’s worth trying for suboxone detox. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated, and thank you for making your site open to the public!

As far as the alcohol goes, it is your body and alcohol is legal, so you can make a decision based on how it works for you, since the other stuff has not helped. The purpose of this article was to explain that “getting drunk” for days to ease symptoms can be very bad on the body. The amount you are talking about is not what I was referring to. 🙂 And Please read the following article which I believe should answer your questions on kratom:

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